Opening of upgraded BHP Nelson Point ore blending facilities
24/7/94Premier Richard Court today said that mineral resources were set to take Western Australia into a new era of economic development, creating thousands of new jobs through the establishment of a new generation of value-adding production facilities in the State.
24/7/94
Premier Richard Court today said that mineral resources were set to take Western Australia into a new era of economic development, creating thousands of new jobs through the establishment of a new generation of value-adding production facilities in the State.
Speaking at the opening of a new $290 million upgrade of the BHP Nelson Point ore blending and ship loading facilities in the Pilbara, Mr Court said low cost energy would now enable value-adding to mineral resources to become a reality in WA.
"Projects such as the Pilbara to Goldfields pipeline will allow low cost gas to be taken to the heart of mineral production and enable the development of value-adding production facilities," the Premier said.
"The Pilbara itself will be the future location of value-adding production facilities as gas producers sell competitively priced energy in the region.
"These new value-adding opportunities include the production of DRI (Direct Reduced Iron) and steel for the burgeoning Asian markets.
"Demand for steel in China is expected to increase substantially during the next decade and the Pilbara is now well-placed to take advantage of this opportunity with its huge energy and mineral resources.
"As the original development of the iron ore industry in WA created thousands of new jobs both indirectly and directly, so too will this quantum leap into value-adding create many thousands of new jobs.
"The quality of employment will also improve as more technical skills will be required for new value-adding industries."
Mr Court added that the official opening of the $290 million Nelson Point upgrade underscored the important contribution which BHP had made to the WA economy during the past 25 years.
"BHP has been an important investor in WA and the company has helped to create many employment opportunities, particularly in regional areas.
"This is highlighted by the Nelson Point Project where some 78 per cent of the upgrading work was undertaken within the State."
